Brazil v Mexico (2018 World Cup)
| team1score = 2 | team2 = Mexico | team2association = | team2score = 0 | details = FIFA Report BBC Report | date = 2 July 2018 | stadium = Cosmos Arena | city = Samara | man_of_the_match1a = Neymar (Brazil) | referee = Gianluca Rocchi (Italy) | attendance = 41,970 | weather = 33 °C (92 °F) | previous = | next = }} Brazil v Mexico was a match which took place at the Cosmos Arena on Monday 2 July 2018. Preview and teams's preparation Filipe Luís will start Brazil's World Cup last-16 tie against Mexico instead of Marcelo, who was forced off against Serbia because of a back spasm. Marcelo did train on Sunday so should be available off the bench. Right-back Danilo has recovered from the thigh problem that ruled him out of the Serbia game, but his replacement, Fagner, may keep his starting spot. Mexico are without key centre-back Héctor Moreno, who is suspended after accumulating two yellow cards. He could be replaced by Hugo Ayala, who has not featured since starting the win against Germany. There have been 11 games already at this World Cup between nations who have never played before. Brazil and Mexico, on the other hand, are the oldest of enemies. This meeting in the last 16 is the 41st time the two countries have faced off, with Brazil leading the head-to-head with 23 victories to Mexico's 10. In four World Cup meetings, Mexico are yet to even score. Brazil are also a side highly motivated by righting the wrongs of four years ago. Although that infamous 7-1 defeat to Germany on home turf at the 2014 World Cup occurred at the semi-final stage, it has been a driving factor since qualification for this tournament began three years ago. Neymar missed that game through injury and has yet to fire at this World Cup, with one goal from 16 attempts in Russia. The stage could be set for a new chapter to begin. The biggest concern for Mexico is that history suggests it doesn't really matter who they play at this stage of a World Cup. If they lose it will be the seventh successive tournament in which they have gone out in the last 16. Head to head Brazil are unbeaten in their four previous World Cup games against Mexico (W3, D1), keeping clean sheets in all four of those matches. The most recent World Cup encounter was a group game in 2014 which ended 0-0. The sides have met once since then, with Brazil winning 2-0 in a friendly in Sao Paulo in June 2015 courtesy of goals from Philippe Coutinho and Diego Tardelli. Match Neymar scored one goal and played a key role in the second as Brazil edged out Mexico in Samara to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for a seventh consecutive time. Brazil did not have it all their own way, especially in an opening period dominated by Mexico, but the five-time winners grew into what became a controlled performance. It means Mexico are once again eliminated at the last-16 stage - as they have been at every World Cup since 1994. They did have plenty of chances early on, and it was only after a largely frustrating first half for Brazil that Neymar started the move to put his side ahead. His run across goal and clever backheel won Willian space, and the Chelsea midfielder only needed two touches to drive into box and lay the ball across for the world's most expensive player to slide home. It was Brazil's 227th goal at the World Cup, meaning they overtake Germany as the all-time top scorers. Just moments earlier, Mexico's Jesus Gallardo wasted a brilliant chance when he shot wildly over the crossbar instead of playing in Hirving Lozano. For much of the second half, Mexico's bright start was just a memory, but Carlos Vela forced a save from Brazil goalkeeper Alisson with his side's first shot on target not long after going behind. In the match's closing stages they rallied once more, but Brazil defended stoically before doubling their lead on the break through a Roberto Firmino tap-in after Neymar's effort was diverted by the toe of Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. Brazil will face Belgium or Japan - who meet in Rostov-on-Don in the day's second match (19:00 BST) - in their last-eight tie in Kazan on Friday. But they will be without Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, who will be suspended after being shown his second yellow card of the tournament. Given his contribution, Neymar should have garnered only positive headlines, but he was the centre of attention for the wrong reasons too after overreacting to a challenge from Miguel Layun in the closing stages. The Mexico full-back appeared to press his studs against Neymar's ankle as he retrieved the ball from between the Brazilian's legs. Neymar, who was sitting down, writhed around in apparent agony before getting up to carry on without any issue. "I'm embarrassed for Neymar," said former England striker Dion Dublin on BBC Radio 5 live. "He is one of the world's greatest players but when he rolls about on the floor, I just don't get it. Come on young man you're better than that, get on with the game." Brazil are aiming to emulate the many great teams before them, while putting behind the heartache they suffered at the tournament they hosted four years ago, when Germany destroyed them 7-1 in the semi-finals. Tite's side did not really hit their stride in the group stage. After being held to 1-1 draw with Switzerland they needed two injury-time goals to beat Costa Rica 2-0, and it was only in the second half that we really began to see their best against Mexico. They would have been out of sight far sooner than the 88th minute were it not for Ochoa, who made several excellent saves after the break. Either side of Neymar's strike, the Standard Liege goalkeeper thwarted powerful drives from Philippe Coutinho and Paulinho, before making his most stunning save to block a Willian stinging drive that for everything looked destined for the top corner. It kept his side in with a chance of a late equaliser, but Brazil just seem to be a team that know how to win knockout matches and get the job done. They retreated behind the ball as Mexico threw everything forward, and pounced clinically on the counter to make sure progress would be safe. The last time they failed to reach quarter-finals was in 1990. There is a national obsession in Mexico that centres on a failure to go beyond four games at a World Cup, stretching back 32 years. Only once have they done so - at the 1986 tournament they hosted, when they beat Bulgaria in the last 16 before falling to West Germany. It remains the only World Cup knockout-stage victory in Mexico's history. Rafael Marquez, 39, may well remember watching the match. He captained the side against Brazil in Samara, on his first start at a joint record fifth World Cup, before being withdrawn at half-time. It was not purely down to his influence, but Mexico played their best football in the opening period, when they created several good chances but failed to score. Vela picked out Hector Herrera in the area but the midfielder took too many touches and his shot was blocked, while Javier Hernandez just failed to connect with a Lozano cross. In the second half, it was Gallardo's decision not to find the galloping Lozano on the left wing that eventually proved the most costly miss, as Brazil punished them minutes later. Mexico have made the last 16 at every tournament since 1994 - only Brazil have achieved the same - but they have lost every time. This year will feel like another missed opportunity. They started the tournament brilliantly with a 1-0 win over Germany, then beat South Korea 2-1, before a 3-0 defeat by Sweden set up a knockout tie with Brazil, a team they have now never scored against in five World Cup meetings. Details |score = 2–0 |report = FIFA Report BBC Report |team2 = |goals1 = Neymar Firmino |goals2 = |stadium = Cosmos Arena, Samara |attendance = 41,970 |referee = Gianluca Rocchi (Italy) }} |valign="top"| |valign="top" width="50%"| |} Match Stats Match Stats= {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- !width=130|Overall !width=70|Brazil !width=70|Mexico |- !scope=row|Goals scored |2||0 |- !scope=row|Total shots |20||14 |- !scope=row|Shots on target |10||1 |- !scope=row|Ball possession |49%||51% |- !scope=row|Corner kicks |8||7 |- !scope=row|Fouls committed |6||17 |-| See also *2018 FIFA World Cup :*2018 FIFA World Cup knockout stage External links *Match report at BBC.co.uk *Match report at FIFA.com Category:2018 FIFA World Cup Matches